


Feels Like Home

by alnima



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cat/Human Hybrids, Hybrid Louis, Hybrid Niall, Hybrids, M/M, Minor Niall Horan/Zayn Malik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-28
Updated: 2014-05-28
Packaged: 2018-01-14 01:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1247851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alnima/pseuds/alnima
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not everyday that you find the love of your life in alley when it's raining, crying and shaking with fear. But then again it's not everyday the love of your life has a tail and furry ears.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't know or own anyone. This work is my own and it is not featured on any other site, nor does anyone have my permission to repost it in its entirety. Thank you!!!

Harry stares out of the coffee shop window at the pouring rain falling down on the city as he stacks the chairs on top of the tables. He hopes that the time it takes him to stack the chairs and gather his belongings that there will be a let up in the downpour. At least until he makes it to his apartment and then it can do whatever the hell it wants. He jumps at a particularly loud clap of thunder and nearly drops the chair he’s holding out of fright, cursing under his breath; he slams the chair down on the table in time with the next boom from the thunder. 

The storm only manages to pick up as Harry finishes his closing routine; the wind is swirling around in an angry force of power as it beats the trees along the sidewalk into the window, Harry can see how the tree branches are whipping around at rapid speed, not enough to break but enough to worry him. There are claps of thunder and strikes of lightning every few moments and Harry knows it’s futile to even bother opening his umbrella that he brought to work that afternoon. So instead he slips on his jacket, zipping it up to his chin, throwing the hood over his head as he flicks off the lights of the coffee house as he walks towards the backdoors. 

He pulls the back door open and stares at the downpour happening outside. There is a small overhang over the doorway that allows for a small section of relative dryness while Harry pulls the door closed behind him and locks it for the night. He slips the keys into his pocket when he’s finished and pulls his hood tighter around his head, taking the first brave step into the rain. It’s coming down like daggers and striking the fabric of his shirt with every step he takes. He makes it roughly seven steps before he’s soaked to the bone. 

He keeps his head down as he walks through the alley to get to the main street in order to walk the short four blocks to his apartment. He hopes Liam has the heat on in their apartment because Harry can feel a chill settling over his body and he knows how stingy Liam can get when it comes to using their utilities. 

Harry is daydreaming about his warm apartment when he hears one of the trashcans rattling, it causes him to jump, clutching his heart as he stares at the disposal bin. He can hear wailing whimpers coming from behind it and carefully peeks around the corner to see something, or rather someone, trying to shove themselves between the wall and the dumpster. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Harry shouts over the rain. He sees the body freeze; the crying never ceases though, as the person begins to try and push themselves further behind the trashcans. Harry reaches out and manages to put a hand on the figure, the exact same moment that a bolt of lightning strikes in the distance. Harry sees a flash of something long sticking out from the boy’s body that isn’t a leg or an arm. He doesn’t have time to think about it because as soon as the thunder rumbles, reverberating off the atmosphere and straight into Harry’s chest, the person jolts out from behind the dumpsters and clamps onto Harry’s body. There are sharp pains in Harry’s shoulders where they’re digging their nails, using their legs to try to climb up Harry’s body. 

“It’s just thunder,” Harry tries to soothe as he puts his hands on the person’s waist, the water is blinding him as droplets land in his eyes, and he’s having a hard time prying the person off of him, because the more he tugs at them the tighter they grip onto him until their legs are wrapped around his waist and their arms around his neck, clawing at his back. “All right, no need to be scared.”

Harry looks around, trying to figure out what to do with the person that’s holding onto him. He grabs a hold of them, tightening his grip on their waist, and begins walking towards the main street where there are lights and over hangings around certain businesses that will shield them from the rain, and allow him to get a proper look at the boy in his arms, to make sure he’s not hurt. He can hear the boy whimpering against his neck, continuing to claw at his back, as the low rumble of thunder continues to play. 

It’s harder to walk when you’re carrying another person, but Harry manages to make it out of the alleyway, turning immediately to the right and leaning against the dentist office. They’re under an awning, a steady stream of water falling off the edge of it, blurring the images from out on the street. He pats the boy on his back gently as he feels the tightness of the boy’s muscles begin to loosen slightly but not completely as they lean against the exterior wall of the office.

Harry pulls the boy’s face out of his neck so he can ask him where his home is, maybe where his parents are, if he’s this afraid of storms then maybe he’s too young to even be out on his own, but he’s not that small, smaller than Harry but not small enough where he immediately worries there might be a worried mother and father looking for him. It takes some effort, getting the boy’s face out from his neck, but when he does manage to coax the boy to look at him is when Harry catches glimpses of something flickering around a bit the boy’s hair, he frowns watching the movement until he sees the steady rise of a pair of furry ears. Harry’s eyes widen at the sight, staring into the boy’s face, taking notice of the way the boy’s eyes are glowing in the dark as the light catches them just right almost like that of a cat. And it’s that thought that causes Harry to lean his head over the boy’s shoulder to catch sight of the tail that’s slowly wrapping it’s way around Harry’s thigh. 

“Shit, Harry mutters, realizing that he’s carrying a hybrid boy and not a human boy. “Okay, um, I’ll take you home with me tonight, and Liam can figure out what to do.”

Harry pushes off of the wall, tucking the hybrid’s face into neck once more as he begins the walk home through the pulsing rain. 

~~~~~

Liam’s reaction is similar to Harry’s when he takes notice of the hybrid in Harry’s arms. They’re dripping wet onto the carpet at the entrance of their apartment, the air thick and warm in contrast to cold from outside. Liam’s sitting on the couch when they enter, his eyes widen as he stares at Harry and the hybrid for a minute before racing off to get a couple towels so they can dry off. 

“I have to put you down now,” Harry says, gently easing the hybrid off of him, it’s fairly easy to do minus the brief moment where the hybrid latches his nails into Harry’s shoulder right before he lets go of Harry and goes to stand next to him, head hung low, holding his tail in his hands. 

“Here,” Liam says, hesitantly handing over two towels. Harry accepts them gratefully and passes one over to the hybrid that is standing there quietly, eyes trained downwards, before using the one in his hand to rub through his hair. He drops the towel on the ground and begins shedding off the top layers of clothing, feeling a wave of relief as the sagging dead weight of his coat and pants are taken off. He glances over towards the hybrid and sees him staring at the towel, refusing to use it, still shaking as the rain continues to pour, lightning lighting up the sky.

Harry sighs, turning to look at Liam. “I found him in the alley outside of the coffee shop, he was hiding behind some dumpsters. He’s a hybrid, but that’s all I know. He’s scared of the storm, absolutely terrified, but he hasn’t said a word to me.” 

“I’ll check the archive,” Liam says. “You two go and get dressed in something dry and then we’ll figure it out. 

Harry nods, knowing that the online database where people report their missing hybrids is the only way they’ll know if someone is looking for him. “Yeah, all right,” he says to Liam. “Follow me.” 

~~~~~

“Can you get yourself dressed?” Harry asks, holding out a pair of dry clothes in front of him. 

The hybrid shakes his head, telling Harry that no he can’t get dressed on his own, meaning that Harry will have to do it for him. 

Harry sighs, nodding his head, figuring as much. He doesn’t know much about hybrids, never having been able to afford one, but he knows that sometimes people keep them as pets, and take full responsibility for all of their actions, refusing to let the hybrid do anything, much like with dogs or cats. You feed them, you clothe them, and you take care of them. He’s seen a few cases where pets are treated like members of the family, and are allowed to do anything they wish, just like other members, but sometimes they want the hybrid to just be there, a symbol of their status. And worst of all, sometimes hybrids are used as servants and are forced into a life of working. 

As Harry pulls the hybrid’s soaking shirt over his head he notices no markings, no brandings, or tattoos on his arms, chest or back that would indicate he had a previous owner. He doesn’t notice any bruises or cuts that would indicate he was abused by anyone, but he does notice the way his bones are jutting out slightly, a sign he hasn’t been fed properly in a while. 

Harry pulls the worn sweatshirt over the hybrid’s head, tugging it down and helping get his arms inside of it. He pulls it down to his waist, and grabs the top of the hybrid’s pants, unbuttoning them, and unzipping them so he can take them off of him. He averts his eyes as he lowers them to avoid staring at the naked form in front of him as he lowers the clothing down his thighs, past his knees, and down to his ankles. The hybrid lifts his feet up so Harry can pull his wet shoes and socks off before tugging off the wet bottoms. He helps him into a pair of sweatpants, figuring the hybrid can live without underwear for the day. He doesn’t even have a pair of underwear that could fit a tail. 

“I don’t know what to do with your tail,” Harry says as he pulls the pants up to the hybrids waist, effectively trapping the tail inside of his pants. 

The hybrid whines quietly as he maneuvers his tail around until it’s freed from the sweatpants, wrapping it around his waist completely as he watches Harry get dressed. 

~~~~~ 

“I think he’s a stray,” Harry says, entering the living room where Liam is sitting on the couch, laptop open on the coffee table, fingers moving quickly as he searches the missing hybrids archive. “Or that he was abandoned. I didn’t find any markings on him to show he has an owner, not a tattoo or even a piece of jewelry with a name on it.” 

“He’s not in the database, I’ve checked everything that I could that he might be filed under, blue eyes, brown fur, everything,” Liam says, leaning back against the couch, pausing his search. “He was probably born from strays and is a stray himself, or he was born in a family and they dropped him off somewhere without registering that their hybrid had kittens.”

“Or he belonged to someone and they just didn’t think it was necessary to do all of that pointless shit.”

“Maybe,” Liam says, shrugging his shoulders. “Did he tell you his name or anything?”

“No, he doesn’t talk,” Harry says. “Or he’s not talking right now. He didn’t know how to get himself dressed either so I’m guessing that he doesn’t know how to do much, or was never given the option to do anything.” He drops his head in his hands, rubbing them against his face as he tries to think of a way to get out of this situation. He’s never had a hybrid before, the only one he’s ever been around is Niall and even then Zayn is pretty firm on keeping people away from Niall, something about not wanting anyone to influence the hybrid or to treat him in a harsh way. Maybe he’ll be able to call Zayn and convince him to bring Niall around, maybe another hybrid will make the one he found comfortable. Fuck, Harry has no idea what he’s going to do. 

He groans in his hands, releasing a deep breath, feeling as his lungs expand and contract. It’s not the end of the world finding a hybrid. It’s not. Especially one with shining blue-grey eyes, who is quiet and if he’s going to be honest, he’s really fucking cute. 

“Haz.”

Harry glances up and sees Liam looking over his shoulder towards the darkened hallway, Harry can see the glowing yellow eyes from the hybrid as he stands in the dark and looks into the lightened space. They watch him, as the hybrid stands there, watching them back. There’s nothing for several minutes, just the quiet white noise of the rain beating down on their windows as the storm begins to lessen in severity, reaching the soothing lull that helps people sleep. 

It’s slow when it happens, the hybrid entering the living room; he’s taking careful, steady steps as he approaches, glancing at the ground instead of them. Harry sees a piece of paper in his hands, one probably ripped out from the journal next to his bed. He stops when he’s directly in front of Harry; mewling quietly, tail waving slightly as he stands, passing the piece of paper towards Harry before he retreats out of the room. 

“I guess that he’s shy,” Liam says, staring at the doorway that the hybrid just raced out of. “What does the paper say?”

Harry looks down at the note in his hands and sees the name Louis, written down in careful scribbles. The letters are squiggly, resembling those of a child who has only been writing for a few years. “It says, Louis.”

“Louis,” Liam says, nodding his head, turning back to look at the glowing yellow eyes in the hallway. “Well, looks like he has a name.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Harry says, folding the note carefully and setting it down on the table.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry wakes up the following morning, his body covered in a sweat, he feels overheated and like he suffered from a wild dream filled with images of flashing light, sounds of rumbling thunder, and the strangest memory of a scared, hungry hybrid with sparkling blues eyes and a soft tail. He shakes his head as he sits up in bed, brushing his hand across his face as his eyes adjust to the light filtering through the window. When he pulls his hand away he looks at his bed and sees the same hybrid from his dream lying across the bottom edge with his hands tucked under his neck, his legs pulled up to his chest, and his tail laid out across Harry’s legs, the tip reaching his stomach.

It hits Harry as he stretches his hand down to work his fingers through the soft brown fur of Louis’ tail that it wasn’t a dream but a reality of his night before, a surreal reality that involved bringing home a stray hybrid. Louis’ tail flicks in his hand, struggling against Harry’s touch until he pulls his hand away and watches as it whips into the air, dropping back down onto Harry’s thigh. He watches Louis’ tail until the urge get out of bed and to relieve himself, and eat everything Liam is making for himself becomes too much. 

Harry finds Liam standing in front of the toaster, waiting for his bread to pop out. He offers Harry a sleepy smile and a small wave as Harry pads across the kitchen, dropping down at the table, resting his forehead against the wooden surface. 

"How did you and the cat sleep?" Liam asks, setting down a plate of food in front of Harry. 

Harry pulls his head off the table, watches as Liam walks back towards the toaster on the counter. "It was fine. My bed felt like an inferno. I don't, I don't even remember him going to bed with me." 

"That's because he didn't. He refused to acknowledge either of us after he wrote down his name, so we left him alone and then, at about five this morning I woke up to get a glass of water, and I saw him sneaking into your bedroom."

“I guess that explains it,” Harry says, grabbing a piece of his toast and taking a bite out of it. He chews it slowly, tries to think of a game plan for how they’re going to handle this situation. Because there is a hybrid in his house, a cat hybrid. There is a boy lying in his bed that wasn’t there the night before and if someone is looking for him then Harry and Liam could get in serious trouble for having him in their house without altering the proper outlets that they found a hybrid. But there is also a very remote possibility that Harry had found a stray, something that rarely happens for anyone. 

The only thing he knows about the hybrid in his bed is that his name is Louis, and he’s afraid of thunderstorms. None of this information tells him anything he really needs to know about Louis, none of this information actually helps him. 

Harry glances up and sees Liam setting down a plate next to Harry, but instead of sitting down Liam heads back towards the counter where he pulls out more bread and drops it into the toaster.

“Are you that hungry?” Harry asks, staring at Liam incredulously. 

Liam shakes his head, nudges his head backwards, an indication that Harry needs to avert his attention elsewhere. He glances behind Liam and sees Louis standing in the hallway, clutching the bottom of his shirt, his hair in disarray as he looks at the plate of food on the table. 

“Louis, why don’t you come eat? Liam made this for you, it’s okay,” Harry says, watching as Louis takes careful steps into the kitchen towards the table. He looks at Liam out of the corner of his eyes, walking closer to the wall as he approaches the table, sliding into the chair and sitting as close to Harry as possible without being in his lap. 

Louis stares at the plate in front of him, glances at Harry out of the corner of his eyes before he picks up a slice of toast, sniffing at it for a moment before he takes a nibble off the corner. 

Harry watches him eat, sees Louis jump when the toast pops out of the toaster. He can see that Louis is nervous, his tail is pulled close to his body and resting on his leg, his ears are bent down slightly. 

Liam sits down at the table and Harry looks at him briefly and sees Liam mouth at him, telling him to ask Louis some questions. Harry nods his head, waving Liam off as he turns back towards Louis. 

“Louis, do you have an owner?” Harry asks, watching as Louis continues to nibble on a slice of toast, ignoring him completely. “Do you have a family?” Louis continues to ignore him, takes another bite out of his toast. “Do you have a home?” No answer. 

“Try asking him something else, Harry. It’s obvious he was alone,” Liam says, still looking at Louis. “He was wearing dirty clothes and you said he looked like he hasn’t eaten a good meal in a while and from what I can see, just by looking at his collarbone, you weren’t wrong in that assumption.”

“Why don’t you ask him?”

“He doesn't want to talk to me. He’s comfortable with you, just ask him,” Liam says firmly, giving Harry a look before he takes another bite of his breakfast. 

Harry glances away from Liam and back towards Louis, he clears his throat as he adjusts himself in his seat so he’s facing Louis. “Louis, are you homeless?”

Louis doesn't answer but looks at Harry out of the corner of his eyes, and Harry sees the slightest nod of Louis’ head. 

“So you were living on the street, okay. That’s something. Have you ever had a family before? An owner? Anyone? Maybe even another hybrid, someone like you?”

Louis stares at the last bit of toast still in his hand, frowns at it and shakes his head. He lets out a deep breath and turns to look at Harry with wide grey-blue eyes, a frown on his face, his ears pulled down against his head. Harry sighs when he sees his face, the realization that the hybrid sitting in his kitchen has nothing outside of this apartment, the realization that Harry is going to have to take care of him sinks in. He reaches out and tentatively strokes his fingers through Louis’ hair, focusing his attention on the area next to his ears to try and ease Louis into relaxation. Louis tilts his head at the contact, pushes his head further into Harry’s hand, and Harry hears as Louis’ throat vibrates with a purr at the contact. 

He turns to look at Liam with a smirk and sees he’s pushing his phone into his pocket and smiling at Harry. 

“Zayn and Niall are coming over later. I’m going to head out and find Louis some clothes, and whatever else we need. I’ve never been around a hybrid before, besides Niall, so find out everything you can from Zayn.”

Harry nods his head, turning his attention away from Liam and back to the purring hybrid next to him. 

~~~~~

Harry doesn’t make any progress with Louis as the day progresses, doesn’t get him to say anything, or get him to do anything other than follow Harry around. Harry considers it progress though, because unlike before Louis is coming into the room without being asked, he’s staying close to Harry. Liam says it’s because Harry is the one who found him and brought him out of the storm, and helped him into new clothes. Louis feels safe and comfortable with Harry. 

And while Harry still doesn’t know anything about Louis, he’s been able to figure out that Louis enjoys movies where people make complete fools out of themselves, injuring themselves for a good laugh. He giggles every time someone does something, his eyes crinkling shut as the only sound Harry has ever heard besides quiet whimpers leave his mouth. 

But the laughing doesn’t last long because suddenly, and seemingly without cause, Louis stills next to him, sits up a little straighter and turns to look at the door at the front of the apartment. 

“What’s wrong?” Harry asks, sitting up and turning to stare at the door. He pauses their movie and watches Louis carefully. He studies the hybrid, sees his eyes folding back, his tail puffing up as he crouches down and continues to stare at the door. Harry strains his ears to try and listen for anything that can clue him in to why Louis is looking at the door in fear. 

His question is soon answered when a knock sounds at the door. Harry stands up slowly, brushing his fingers along Louis’ shoulder as he rounds the couch and makes his way towards the door. He peeks through the peephole and sees Zayn standing with a bouncing Niall next to him. 

Harry pulls the door open and is engulfed by the blonde hybrid that was standing in the hallway just moments before. Harry wraps his arms around him and steps back and to give Zayn room to enter as he hugs Niall back. He can feel Niall rubbing his face against Harry’s shoulder, purring into his skin as he drags his tail along Harry’s arm. 

Zayn gives Harry a look, clears his throat behind them, shuffling his feet a little as he raises an eyebrow. Niall pulls away, smiles at Harry before he turns around and rubs his nose against Zayn’s cheek for a moment. 

“I forget how friendly he is,” Harry says, watching the exchange between the two. 

“Yeah, too friendly for his own good. But that’s how hybrids are, some at least. Some of them are real monsters. Speaking of hybrids, where’s yours?”

Niall pulls away from Zayn and smiles at Harry, bouncing on the balls of his feet, his tail flicking around behind him. 

“Louis, he’s in here,” Harry says, pointing towards the living room where Louis is standing, hair raised, behind the couch. 

Niall walks through the threshold first, approaching Louis with excitement but the closer Niall gets the more apparent it becomes that Louis is growling at him, a low grumble in the back of his throat as the hair on his head and tail begin to raise in defense as he tries to make himself look bigger. 

“And you brought home a crazy one,” Zayn says, watching as Niall continues to approach Louis, immune to the sounds being aimed towards him. 

“He’s not crazy,” Harry defends. “I promise. He’s really nice. I mean, he’s only been here a day but he’s never made those sounds before and I forced him into those clothes and brushed his hair and everything.”

Zayn nods, unconvinced by Harry’s words as Louis lets out a feral sound when Niall steps closer. 

“Niall, don’t bother him. Sit down,” Zayn instructs and Niall obeys, sitting down on the couch, his knees tucked under his body as he looks at Louis in amazement. 

“He’s really not crazy,” Harry says, noticing the way that Zayn is staring at Louis. 

Zayn seems to snap out of it, looking at Harry in sympathy. “I know, I talked to Liam about him this morning. Niall just…hybrids don’t really like him. He’s, obviously, cat and not dog but he acts more like a dog so the cats hate him and he looks like a cat so the dogs hate him. It’s fine. Liam said that Louis was a stray so he probably sees other hybrids as competition for food, he doesn’t know that they can be friend instead of foe.” 

Harry nods along, glad that his best friend isn’t going to snap Louis’ neck for mistreating Niall. Zayn’s protective of everyone that he loves and cares about. The only difference with Niall is that Zayn can turn into a mother lion with her cubs, bypassing all levels of rationality in order to keep Niall safe by any means necessary. It’s a trait that Harry admires, one that has helped him come to care about Zayn that much more than he did before. But it’s also one that can get him in trouble, or one that could cause a fight between a scared hybrid and a protective boyfriend. 

“Do you want to meet him?” Harry asks and when Zayn nods Harry makes his way across the room to stand next to Louis. “Louis, this is Niall and Zayn. Niall’s a hybrid, like you, and Zayn rescued him, kind of like how I rescued you.” 

Niall’s smile brightens as he’s introduced to Louis, Harry can practically feel vibrations coming off of Niall, his entire body shaking with excitement. Zayn offers a small smile as he comes to sit down next to Niall, running his hand along Niall’s back as he lowers himself onto the cushions of the couch.

Louis looks less than thrilled about the two of them sitting on the furniture but his fur is no longer raised, his posture less defensive than it was a moment ago due to Harry’s presence next to him. It causes a little spark of happiness to flare up inside of Harry with the knowledge that he’s able to calm Louis down, to let him know that he’s safe. 

It doesn’t get easier after that. Louis is still on guard about the two of them inside of Harry’s apartment but he doesn’t make any moves to attack them. He spends most of the afternoon letting out tiny growls as Niall continues to scoot closer, crawling over Zayn and Harry so he can get closer to him, ignoring Louis’ threats completely. 

“Tell me everything,” Harry says. “I need to know everything about hybrids, and how to take care of them, and live with them and keep them happy and healthy. What have you done with Niall?”

Zayn releases a sigh, adjusting himself on the couch so he’s facing Harry instead of Niall. “I don’t have anything definite to give you. They’re like people; they’re all different. There isn’t a how to book, or an instruction manual for any of this. The thing you need to know is that you can’t treat them like a full-blooded cat because they’re still human, just a little different. The main differences is that they need a little more protein than you do because like I said, they’re cats, and I read somewhere a while ago that they need more protein to survive. They have supplements you can give them but I think they’re a load of shit. Don’t waste your money, unless you take him to a doctor and find out he has some kind of deficiency.”

Harry writes it all down in his mind, engraving it to memory as he listens to Zayn talk. “What about, like, clothes and stuff?”

“Let Liam handle that. I gave him the name of the place that we get Niall’s at, it’s just like a normal clothing store except the accommodate tails. He probably won’t need much. Niall likes wearing nothing, maybe a pair of loose shorts, but ultimately I’ve heard a lot of stories about hybrids being keen on nudity.” 

“Oh,” Harry says, turning to look at Louis. “Do you like wearing clothes?”

Louis looks at him for a moment, blinking slowly before he nods his head. 

“That’s another thing,” Harry says, turning to look at Zayn. “Why don’t they talk?”

“They talk,’ Zayn says carefully. “Not all of them but they can. Sometimes hybrids aren’t allowed to talk, they’re punished for voicing their opinions. I told you that they’re just like humans, they have their own minds, and they’re conscious of everything and sometimes that scares people, so they stop it from turning into something dangerous. Sometimes something happens to them and they just don’t want to talk. Sometimes they just don’t like doing it so they don’t.”

“Why doesn’t Niall talk?” Harry asks, realizing that he’s never heard any sounds leave Niall’s mouth besides happy mewls and blissful purrs. 

Zayn pauses for a moment, glances over at Niall who is sitting next to Louis, finally, swatting his paw at Louis’ tail, his eyes wide and expression happy. “Before I had him he lived with someone else, a family that had a dog hybrid as well, a little shit apparently. He and Niall got into one day, Niall didn’t bother fighting back, and being as that he’s a dog hybrid, he went for the throat, as all dogs tend to do during fights. Niall can talk but he chooses not to, saves his voice. I can get words out of him but only sometimes, it’s rare, but it happens. He doesn’t like talking in front of other people though, and sometimes his throat hurts when he does it.”

Harry’s frowning when Zayn is finished talking, glancing behind him at Niall who is trying to curl up next to Louis, a yawn leaving his lips as he pulls his legs up and closes his eyes, his head resting on Louis’ hip. Harry doesn’t know what to say about Zayn’s story, doesn’t think he can say anything to make it better or reverse what happened because he thinks that’s probably the situation that lead to Zayn getting Niall, so despite how horrific it is, something amazing came out of it. Not just for Niall but for Zayn as well. 

Harry reaches out, cards his fingers through Niall’s blond colored tail as he enjoys the silence. He can hear Niall purring as he shifts around in his sleep, rubbing his face against Louis’ ribcage. Louis stares at him for a moment, his expression going from distaste to indifferent to acceptance as he settles into the couch. Harry watches him for a moment until Louis’ eyes blink closed and he’s sound asleep. 

“I think he finally likes Niall,” Zayn says, smiling fondly at the pair of them. 

“Everyone likes Niall,” Harry says, rolling his eyes. 

Zayn nods his head, turning to look at Harry. “Are you sure that you’re ready for this? It’s basically a third person living with you and Liam in this tiny little apartment. Another mouth to feed.”

“We’ll be all right. Jade gets back in town soon, so Liam will spend most of his time with her at her place, so it’ll mostly just be Louis and me here. Liam and I split the groceries but I make enough to cover Louis’ portion. I think we’ll be fine. Liam seems to really like him, so I don’t think I’m the only one that wants to keep him around,” Harry says in response. 

“Are you sure, absolutely, without a doubt, one hundred percent sure that you want to keep him?” Zayn asks. “Because they get attached and so will you and if the time comes where you have to give him up then it’ll be the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do. So are you sure this is what you want?”

Harry looks at him for a moment, considers the weight of the situation as he turns to look at Louis, still sound asleep and curled up next to Niall, their tails wrapped together between them. He watches as the brunette hybrid sleeps, watches the rise and fall of his chest as he considers his options. Louis lets out a tiny mewl in his sleep and Harry says, “Yeah, I’m sure.”

~~~~~

Liam returns long after the sun has set, long after Zayn and Niall have left. He enters the house carrying two armfuls of bags as he stumbles into the apartment. Louis had made the same growling noises as earlier in the day when he heard someone approaching the door, but this time Harry knew what it meant and was able to distract Louis and turn his attention away from the door while Liam tries to bring himself and his over abundance of bags into their apartment. 

“I thought you would be getting him a few things not every thing you found inside of the store,” Harry says as he makes his way towards the front of their apartment, taking a few bags from Liam. 

“Ha, funny,” Liam says, making his way through the apartment and into the kitchen. “We needed food anyway, so I had to basically restock everything. And then I don’t know what kind of clothes he likes so I bought him a little bit of everything.”

“I can see that,” Harry says, pulling food out of the bags. Louis is standing close behind him, peeking over his shoulder and examining all the food that Harry is pulling out. Harry can see that Liam has paused his actions and is watching Louis carefully. 

Liam grabs one of the grocery bags, pulling out the items and setting them on the table. “Louis, do you think any of these?” 

Louis glances over, studies the items on the table before he reaches out and points to the peppers and shakes his head. Shrugs his shoulders at a few of the other vegetables. 

“Harry put these away,” Liam says, motioning towards the food on the table as he grabs another bag and begins setting them out. 

“What are you doing?” Harry asks, picking up the food. 

Liam waves him off and asks Louis the same questions as before and Louis follows through by pointing out the foods he’s not interested in and unsure of. Harry lets Liam play his game, figures out quickly that Liam is trying to figure out Louis’ likes and dislikes when it comes to food so Liam knows what he can cook and what he can’t, so he can figure out what foods he needs to buy more of when he goes shopping next. 

“Based on his facial reactions, he really does not like beans, peppers, carrots, or the plain looking cookies that you like to dunk in your tea. He seems to really love chocolate, oranges, all of the sugary cereals, jam, and your giant stash of chocolate chip cookies,” Liam says as Harry grabs the final batch of food off of the table. “Should we try going through the clothes now?” 

Liam’s question is directed towards Harry but it’s not Harry who answers. It’s Louis. 

“No.” 

Harry stops his movement, a box of crackers clutched in his hands as his arm hovers in the air next to him. He looks at Liam whose mouth is hung open as he stares at a defiant looking Louis. 

“You can talk?” Harry asks. “I didn’t think you could talk.”

Louis stares at the two of them for a moment, his tail waving idly in the air as he looks at them, before he shrugs his shoulders. 

“Can you say anything else?” Liam asks. 

Louis looks at him for a moment, rolls his eyes and nods his head. He reaches down and begins filtering through the bags of clothes that Liam bought him, filtering through them, frowning at a few them as he looks at them. 

Harry watches him for a moment longer, setting the box of crackers onto the pantry shelf before he closes the door. He sees as Louis pulls out a shirt with a picture of The Avengers on it, pulling Harry’s shirt off his body as he pulls on the new one, tags still on the collar as he looks up and beams at Harry in complete and utter happiness.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the month that Louis has been with Harry things have settled into an easy pattern. Louis has finally shown comfort in being inside Liam and Harry’s apartment, and Harry finds that he misses the hybrid when he’s out. They sleep together at night, Louis taking up a good portion of the bed as he lies underneath the blankets, tail curled around Harry’s leg as Harry straddles the edge of the bed, gripping onto the bed and hoping that he doesn't fall off in the middle of night. They wake up together, Louis pawing at the door while Harry goes to the bathroom each morning, and Harry brushing his teeth while Louis does his business. Harry makes him breakfast while Louis wakes Liam up, and then they figure out a schedule for the day on who is going to be with Louis and when. It’s usually Harry that stays home with him, Louis preferring his presence, but Harry doesn’t mind it, loves that Louis seems to prefer him. 

He greets them at the door when one of them has been out of the apartment, purring, and wrapping his tail around the two of them as he nudges his nose against their cheek, nipping at their jaws if Harry or Liam don’t run their fingers through his hair.

Harry’s also learned that Louis loves to watch the cooking of their meals being done, particularly dinner, and that he has no idea how to any of the cooking on his own, struggling to figure out how to make cereal the first few times they showed him. Harry doesn't blame him though, figures that there is a lot someone doesn't learn when they’re living on the street, digging meals out of the trash, or at least that what Louis told him when he asked how he ate before.

And after their dinner, Louis likes to pick the movies that they watch, marveling in the different scenes portrayed on film that he’s never seen before. Harry gathered that Louis’ knows what a television is by walking past store windows at night, when it was safe for him to be out. He doesn’t talk much, but Harry is good at deciphering what Louis means with his one to two to three word answers.

And at the end of every night, Louis falls asleep on the couch, causing Harry to pick him up and carry him to bed.

~~~~~

Harry’s learned a few things through living with Louis. 

He’s learned that he’s patient, willing to work with someone and help make him or her feel comfortable to talk to him, and tell him things. And he’s learned that that patience comes in handy when dealing with a selectively vocal hybrid.

_(Harry’s sitting down on the couch, feet propped up on the table in front of him, arms folded up behind his head with his eyes closed. He takes a deep, steady breath as he relaxes further into the cushions. It’s a late Saturday night, Liam’s spending the night at his girlfriend’s, and Louis is in Harry’s bedroom, their bedroom, he should say, and it’s quiet, for once. He doesn't have to worry about keeping Louis’ attention focused on something productive. Plus, it’s been exhausting day; he’s tired from working a double shift at the coffee shop._

_He finds himself almost falling asleep when he hears it, the sound of Louis crying from his bedroom. He fumbles off the couch, tripping over his feet as he runs towards his room, stumbling into the wall when he rounds the corner. He’s rubbing his arm when he sees Louis on the other side of the room, sitting on the floor, tears rolling down his cheeks as he cries._

_Harry kneels down next to him, running a gentle hand along the back of Louis’ arm. Louis is whimpering, crying, and trying to simultaneously pull away from Harry and lean into his touch. Harry hears him purring but it’s different than it normally is, it’s not loud and rumbling in Louis’ throat, it doesn't make Harry think Louis’ throat is vibrating, rattling his esophagus or his spine, sending shock waves into his chest. This purr is quiet, a low hum matching the octave of his whimpers. Harry read online when he researched hybrids, trying to study up so he could know as much as humanely possible about them, that hybrids purr when they’re content but also when they’re in pain, but the purrs are different and to learn the purr of the hybrid. Harry knows when Louis is content, can tell by the sheer volume of the purr, but this purr, the one that’s happening right now, is different from Louis’ normal one, and that’s how he knows Louis is in some kind of pain._

_“Lou, what happened?” Harry asks, moving his hand from Louis’ arm to brush Louis’ fringe from his eyes. Louis turns to look up at him; his blue eyes turned steel grey as he cries, glassing over from the tears that are falling from his eyes. “Can you tell me what happened?”_

_Louis doesn't answer, instead he pushes his face into Harry’s chest and cries. It doesn't last long, his tears drying up and the whimpering losing momentum. He still won’t tell Harry, ignores his questions but allows Harry to stroke his back._

_After twenty minutes, Louis pulls his face away from Harry’s chest, locks their eyes together as he drags his tail across the floor. He gathers it up with his hands, stroking it gingerly as he looks at Harry, nudging him with his head to look down at it._

_“Did you hurt your tail?” Harry asks, watching as Louis slows his motions when he reaches the tip of his tail, his hand brushing over the fur gingerly, with more care than he offered to the rest of it._

_Louis nods his head, frowning a little as he picks it up, pulling it up between their faces and waving it in front of Harry’s face. “Kiss it,” Louis says softly._

_Harry chuckles, letting Louis push his tail against his mouth. He reaches out and touches it gently, the fur tickling the palm of his hand as he presses a gentle kiss to the tip of his tail, doing it again when Louis shoves it back against his mouth._

_He ends up kissing it seven times before Louis lets it fall down between him, a content purr escaping his throat as he rubs his face against Harry’s shoulder, leaning up to kiss his neck when it’s over.)_

Harry’s also learned that it’s best to deal with your anger calmly instead of lashing out, especially when the hybrid you’re taking care of is far greater than you at being angry. It doesn’t happen often, him getting angry, and it takes something massive to make it happen, the same for Louis. The difference between them though is that while Harry is shitty at being angry, Louis is a professional.

_(Louis looks over at Harry, out of the corner of his eyes, his ears folded down as he growls, a low deep noise from the back of his throat. Harry watches him as he does it, wishes that he were a hybrid as well so Louis could see how angry he is. He’s pacing the living room floor, burning a hole in the carpet as he does it, or at least he could if his body was at hot as it feels. He’s angry, irrationally so at Louis. His best friend, Nick has just left, stopping by because Harry hadn’t been out in so long._

_Everything was fine at first, Nick joining Louis on the couch, the latter watching him nervously when he sits down. And he doesn’t know when it happened, when Louis went from cautiously nervous to aggressively angry. It had happened so suddenly, one minute he and Nick were talking about the new records Nick bought and the next minute he’s jumping across the couch, growling and hissing as he swats at Nick’s head. Harry had been stunned when it happened, horrified that Louis would do something so aggressive, so out of place for the sweet Louis that Harry knows._

_He manages to snap out of his trance, only because Nick’s shouting his name, and pull Louis off of Nick._

_“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,” Harry repeats as a mantra while Nick pulls himself together, rubbing at his jaw as he stares at Louis._

_“Your cat has an anger problem,” Nick says, turning to look at Harry. Louis hisses at him, his ears still folded back as the fur on his tail raises. “Pipe down, princess.”_

_“Nick, I’m so sorry. He’s normally so sweet, a little angel. I swear. Do you want some ice?”_

_Nick shakes his head, stands up off the couch. “I think I’m going to head home.”_

_Harry turns to glare at Louis, giving him a look to let him know that he’s not happy about what happened as he stands up and follows Nick to the door. Louis tries to grab, tries to tug him away from Nick but Harry shakes himself out of his grip, and Harry swears he sees Louis’ eyes flash red before his pupils reduce to tiny slits as he walks away from him._

_He apologizes to Nick profusely for Louis who says he’s not sorry from the other room. And that’s where he leaves himself now, treading across his carpet in anger. He doesn’t get a word in before Louis starts yelling at him, saying something about how Nick’s an idiot, how he stole all of Harry’s attention, and made it impossible for Louis to be apart of their conversation. Louis yells at him for bringing someone over that obviously hates hybrids, an old man with an obsession with trying to look cool. He’s angry, angrier than Harry has ever seen him. And it’s only a matter of three minutes before Louis stops shouting, glaring at Harry before he stands up from the couch._

_Louis leaves the room in heist, leaving Harry standing there and feeling like an idiot. He was angry, so, so angry just a few moments ago but now he feels like he’s the one that caused the problem, his mouth unable to form words as he watches the hybrid leave the room, an angry glare shot over his shoulder as he looks at Harry._

_The better part of Harry knows that he should chase after Louis, punish him in some way, or lecturing him about the importance of not attacking people, at least talk to him about what happened but instead he drops onto the couch, wonders what just happened, and why he feels guilty for breaking up a fight.)_

And one of the last things that Harry learned, one of the things that he found to be one of the most important is that Louis doesn’t like to be alone, doesn’t like when Harry leaves him. He’s all right if Liam is still in the apartment, but the one time Harry had left him alone was when Liam’s girlfriend, Jade had returned from a trip with her friends and he had to be at work. He had come home to find a disgruntled looking Liam stuffing the shredded remains of a potted plant back into the pot.

_(“What happened?” Harry cries, dropping his backpack on the floor as he looks around the apartment. There are bits of soil smudged into the carpet, traces of it along the floor of the living room with ripped leaves lying around Liam. The cushions are thrown off the couch, magazines knocked off the coffee table, and Liam sitting angrily in the middle of the whole thing._

_“Louis happened,” Liam says. “Apparently he doesn’t take very well to being on his own, lived on his own on the streets for years and he was fine, but lock the door of an apartment and he flips out.”  
“Louis did this?” Harry says, mouth-dropping open a little. “Are you serious?”_

_“Yup,” Liam says, scooping up a pile of soil and tossing it into the pot._

_“You should see your bathroom. I found him in there, and it’s just lovely the redecorating he did. He nearly bit my ear off when I tried to force him out of it, you can find him in your bedroom.”_

_Harry watches Liam for a moment longer before he kicks off his shoes and makes his way towards his bedroom. He sees, well he sees his blankets on his bed raise about two feet in the air, an outline of Louis underneath them, sitting up and making angry mewling sounds underneath it. He stares worriedly at his bed as he crosses the room and peeks into the bathroom. His jaw drops as he looks around, his eyes widening as he takes in the scene in front of him. The toilet paper has been shredded, laid out across the floor in a pile, ripped pieces in random parts of the bathroom. The contents of his stuff, his toothpaste, aftershave, toothbrush, everything, is knocked off the counter top and onto the floor, toothpaste squirted onto the floor. He takes a careful step inside, looking around at everything Louis has done to the room. And just when he thinks that it can’t get any worse than finding his favorite shirt ripped up, he glances at the toilet and sees his white converse sitting inside of it, one of them pushed into the pipe, effectively clogging the drain._

_Harry exits the bathroom, making his way towards the bed, tugging the blanket off of Louis’ body. Louis hisses at him when he’s exposed, his ears folded back as he pushes back towards the other side of the bed._

_“Louis,” Harry says, his patience wearing thing as he looks at the hybrid. “Why did you destroy the apartment?”_

_Louis growls at him, tail flicking dangerously as he looks at Harry. He doesn’t answer immediately, watches Harry with his fur raised, waiting for Harry to back down. “Left,” Louis spits out, his jaw clenched._

_“Left? What does that mean?” Harry says, confused. He’s left Louis before, gone to work without the hybrid almost every day since he brought him into the house. He doesn’t understand why it’s a problem now, why Louis would destroy the house over it._

_“Left me alone,” Louis says again. “Left me.”_

_Harry looks at him for a moment before realization hits him that today was the first time Louis was alone in the apartment. It’s the first time that both Harry and Liam have been gone without him. He doesn’t know why he didn’t think of it before, think about the fact that Louis would think he was being abandoned after a certain amount of time, because Louis doesn’t understand that sometimes people leave but that doesn't mean they won’t come back._

_Harry sighs, releasing a deep breath as he crawls onto the bed, ignoring Louis’ angry protests. He waits patiently for Louis to calm down, and when he does he explains what it means to go to work, and that Louis is going to stay with Harry, Liam, too, for as long as he wants to be with them.)_

After that Harry had gone out and bought Louis a bracelet, he’s not comfortable with the idea of branding Louis’ body with anything permanent, doesn’t want to give him a necklace like Zayn did with Niall, instead Harry buys him a woven bracelet with a metal plaque that says Harry’s name and his address. It’s one of the ways that people mark their hybrids as belonging to someone. It’s one of the ways that Harry can ensure that someone won’t run off with Louis while he’s busy at the coffee shop. 

It’s not easy, but Harry is managing, and so far he thinks Louis wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.


	4. Chapter 4

It’s a week after the potted plant incident that Harry needs to bring Louis to work with him, Liam begging him to do it so he can spend the afternoon with Jade, says they’ve been fighting a little lately, Jade complaining about commitment issues and how badly he wants to show her that he’s serious about her. Harry’s a sucker for love so he agrees instantly, telling Liam to just go, barely getting the sentence out of his mouth before his roommate slash best friend is out the door. So it’s the two of them, Harry standing in his work uniform and Louis wearing snug jeans with the tail hole cut out, a maroon colored shirt covering his abdomen, and a wide smile on his face as his eyes twinkle, smiling up at Harry. 

Harry gathers his things while Louis puts his shoes on, putting on the bracelet with Harry’s name and address on it. He doesn’t wear it all the time, Harry told him he’s allowed to take it off whenever he wants as long as they’re inside the apartment. Harry doesn’t want to admit that the longer Louis is here the greater his fear that he’ll leave, or get lost, or get taken away becomes. The bracelet gives him a false sense of hope that Louis will never leave. It’s an irrational fear, he doesn’t want Louis to think that he’s not allowed to leave, because he can, if that’s what he wants, but Harry just hopes it doesn’t happen. 

Louis holds his hand as they walk, walking with a bounce in his step as he points things out to Harry. Louis loves being outside, loves doing different outdoor activities and being adventurous. Harry loves being outside as well, hates been stuck in the house, but he’s pretty shitty at outdoor activities. While he prefers walking in the park, Louis prefers renting bikes and running through the grass kicking a soccer ball around. Louis does all of those things with Liam. Harry’s awful, hasn’t ridden a bike since he and Gemma were younger, and can’t kick a ball to save his life. He doesn’t mind it though, enjoys being able to watch Louis as he does stuff that he enjoys. 

Harry listens to Louis as he chats about what he’s going to do on Harry’s phone while he works, having downloaded more games than Harry’s phone can handle just to get him through the five hour shift. Harry admires the way that Louis is beginning to fill out, like he’s finally starting to get healthy, how his ribs aren’t showing as much, his cheekbones, while still defined, don’t look sunken in like his face is hollow. He’s pretty, and Harry likes having him around, he’s glad he found him that day in the rain. 

Louis guides them into the coffee shop, skipping over towards one of the tables and taking a seat. He’s chosen one of the soft ones in front of the fireplace that’s never on, one that reminds Harry of furniture you’d find in someone’s house. 

“I’ll make you some tea, okay?” Harry mutters before he makes his way across the shop, sliding behind the counter and getting to work on making Louis’ tea. 

He finishes quickly, speeding the process along so he can hurry up and get to work. When he brings the tea over to Louis he sees that he has some car racing game pulled up on Harry’s phone, he passes the tea over and pulls his charger out of his work apron’s pocket. It’s the only reason he wore the apron to work instead of just carrying it like he normally would.

Louis takes the cup of tea Harry hands him, purring as he brings it to his lips. Harry watches him take a sip that he promptly spits right back into the ceramic, turning to look at Harry in distaste, and thrusting it into Harry’s hands. 

“What’s wrong with it?” Harry asks in confusion, not wanting to take a sip since Louis spit into it. 

“Sugar,” Louis says, scowling at Harry. 

“Do you want more? I put in two sugars, I know Liam likes about seven, but I figured he’s just weird on that. How many more do you want?” Harry asks. 

“None,” Louis spits out. “None. You ruined it.”

“You don’t like sugar in your tea?” Harry says, frowning. He’s been living with Louis for a month now, and while he’s never actually made the hybrids tea, he knows that Louis likes to make it himself, but he just assumed that he liked sugar, most people do, or at least most people Harry knows. Liam’s probably a horrible example of who to watch to learn how to make other people’s tea from, but still. 

Louis doesn’t answer him; instead he folds his arms over his chest, and turns away from Harry. 

After Harry fixes his tea, making sure that there is nothing in the ceramic tea cup besides tea, and gives it to Louis, does he get start his shift at work. 

It’s a stressful shift, one of Harry’s worst. He’s worried about Louis, casting his eyes in the hybrids direction every few minutes just to make sure he’s all right, just to make sure he’s even still there. He’s been out with Louis before, but he’s so terrified that Louis will wonder off, or that someone will try to take him. He’s read far too many news articles about crimes against hybrids, he wishes he still lived in ignorance as the fifteenth customer the day groans across the counter, asking Harry if he can finish taking their order instead of stalking the boy across the shop. 

It’s a stressful shift, and Harry is grateful when it’s over, taking Louis’ hand and bringing him back home. 

~~~~~

Harry turns the knob on the shower; sticking his hand underneath it as tests the temperature of the water. 

“Louis, come on,” Harry shouts, shaking the water off his hands and rubbing it off on his jeans. He was supposed to run a bath for Louis, something he does every night, but he’s tired, and he thinks Louis can make it one day without a bath. 

When Harry turns around Louis is standing, naked, in the middle of the bathroom, staring intently at the shower. “Harry,” he mutters quietly, his eyes never leaving the shower. 

Harry steps around him, closing the bathroom door and locking it so Liam won’t walk in on Louis again, saving him from the embarrassment of blushing scarlet red at the sight of the naked hybrid. “Lou, I didn’t feel like running a bath tonight, so hop in the shower, yeah?” Harry says, nudging Louis body towards the shower. 

He feels it then, the shakes that are ripping through Louis body, notices then that Louis tail is tucked between his legs, his pupils blown wide from fear. 

“Lou?” Harry says tentatively, reaching to touch Louis arm to try and bring his attention away from the shower. The action causes Louis to jump, flying backwards and nearly falling into the tub as he tries to scramble away from the shower. “Louis, what’s wrong?” 

Harry realizes what the problem is when Louis scrambles up and throws himself onto Harry, wrapping his limbs around Harry in a vice grip. It’s so reminiscent of the first night that they meet that it hits Harry; the shower reminds Louis of rain. Louis is afraid of rain, of falling water, for whatever reason that Harry will never understand. He wraps his arms around Louis, holding onto him tightly as he crosses the bathroom floor to shut the water off in the shower; Louis claws at his back when they step closer to it. 

“It’s fine,” Harry mutters, attempting to make his way towards the tub on the opposite side, bending down to put the stopper in the drain, turning on the water, and waiting for it to fill. He has to brace the wall as he does it all to make sure he doesn’t topple over with the weight of another person holding onto him. He eases Louis gently off, gets him into the tub, and sits down on the floor next to him. 

“You’re okay, you know,” Harry says, reaching out to card his fingers through Louis’ hair. 

“I don’t like it,” Louis mumbles, pressing his face into Harry’s hand. 

“I didn’t realize you’d be afraid, I’m sorry,” Harry says, gently, scooting up a little so he’s closer to Louis face. “But you’re okay, it’s not like the rain. There isn’t any flashing lights, or loud noises, just water. 

Eventually Louis’ body stops shaking, and the bath fills, allowing Harry the chance to shut the water off. He grabs the cup on the side of the tub, filling it and pouring it over Louis’ hair, doing his best to keep it out of the hybrid’s eyes as he gets him wet. He thinks a shampoo would be the best way to calm Louis down, a nice head massage in order to fix the fear he felt just moments ago. 

Harry pours shampoo in his hand, the special kind that smells like flowers on a summer’s day, and begins working his fingers through Louis’ hair. Louis lets him, purrs as Harry works his fingers through his hair. 

“Love you, Lou,” Harry says, watching as Louis’ eyes flutter closed from the sensation of getting his head scratched. 

And that’s when it hits Harry like a thousand daggers; he’s falling for Louis. Head over fucking heels, falling for Louis. And he tries not to let that thought scare the living shit out of him, because he feels like he hasn’t been prepared for this happen, didn’t even think it could remotely possible that he’d tell a hybrid he loved him and mean it in ways he never thought of. 

~~~~~

Harry calls Zayn first thing in the morning, frantically begging him to come over, tells him that he needs to talk to him before he can do anything. Harry doesn’t realize it’s barely past seven in the morning when Zayn tells Harry that if he’s not dying, then he’s not coming over until after ten. He’d been pacing his apartment nervously until Louis whined on the couch, holding his arms out and forcing Harry to cuddle him while he watched television, some movie where a bulky guy is talking about cars, and beating the crap out of another guy. Harry’s not concerned with watching it, too busy zoning in on the noises that Louis is making, the quiet, content mewls leaving his body as he nuzzles his face into Harry’s neck, occasionally licking the skin. 

It’s twenty three minutes past ten when a knock comes from his apartment door, Harry pushes Louis off him, stumbling off the couch as he races towards the door, checking through the peep hole to see who it is, he can’t see much of anything, a blue eye staring back at him and the sound of Zayn’s voice telling Niall to take a step back from the door. Harry swings the door open, immediately opening his arms so he can catch Niall when he rushes forward and presses his body against Harry’s. 

“Hi, Niall,” Harry says, rubbing Niall’s back as he rubs his face against Harry’s shoulder. Harry smiles fondly at him when he pulls away, turning around to hug Zayn before he bounces into the living room where Louis is sitting glaring at them. Niall doesn’t seem phased by it as he drops down next to Louis, attempting to crawl into the other hybrids lap as he settles against him. 

“What did you want to talk about?” Zayn asks, causing Harry to tear his gaze away from the two hybrids on the couch. 

“It’s private, can we talk in private?” 

Zayn shrugs his shoulders, his expression bored. “I guess.” 

“All right, in the kitchen then,” Harry says, motioning for Zayn to go first. He stops in the living and tells Louis that he needs to talk about something important, but they’re just in the other room, and they’ll be back in just a few. 

“What did you want to talk to me about?” Zayn asks, helping himself to Harry’s pantry, shoving food aside as he looks for what he wants. “You woke me up at seven, so it better be important.”

“It is, I swear,” Harry says, sitting down in the chair, tapping his fingers against the table as he waits for Zayn to bring a bag of chips and cookies to the table. 

“Couldn’t decide,” Zayn mutters as he sits down. “Why are you acting all sketched out? Everything okay?” 

“No,” Harry says, shaking his head. “Well, maybe, I mean, Louis is doing well. He’s gaining weight, did you notice? He’s finally starting to fill out. I don’t notice his ribs anymore; he’s not so tired looking. He’s happier, he actually wants to be here, he has a routine, and he helps out around the house. He also destroys the house.”

“Yeah, Liam told me about the potted plant incident. He’s still pretty pissed about that, just so you know,” Zayn says, tearing open the bag of chips. “It’s too early for this shit, but I’m starving. Anyway, if everything is going so well why do you look like your dead relatives ghost?”

“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Harry says, chewing on his fingernails nervously. “How did you, um, like, when did you realize, you know, that you wanted to, um, be with Niall? Like how did that happen?”

Zayn looks at him for a moment, his expression is blank but Harry feels like he’s reading his mind, like Zayn’s eyes are boring into his soul and finding all of his darkest secrets, like he knows what Harry is thinking about, knows about he internal struggle that Harry’s been feeling since last night. He’s sure it’s been there longer than a night, but the realization is new, and it makes Harry’s skin itch. 

Zayn finishes chewing, brushes his hands off on his jeans, and smiles knowingly at Harry. “You know, I was wondering how long it would take before you called me about this. I thought maybe three months, you’re sooner than I expected.” 

Harry frowns. “What is that supposed to mean?” 

“Nothing, just… Harry, I know you, yeah? And I know what it’s like to have a hybrid, so I knew it was only a matter of time. Listen, it’s nothing, okay? To answer your first question about when I knew, it was when he stopped crying himself to sleep. He’d do it when he thought I was sleeping, before we shared a bed, he’d cry in his room, just these horribly pathetic sobs that cut right through me, and then one day he stopped, and a few days later he started sleeping in my bed. I didn’t realize how much I actually cared until I didn’t hear it anymore. I don’t know, it’s probably not what you wanted to hear, or what you thought you’d hear, but that’s when I realized I cared about him in ways that people don’t usually care about their hybrids, or at least in my experience,” Zayn explains, shrugging his shoulders. 

“But it’s not, it’s not like normal, right? I mean they have tails and stuff,” Harry says. “Is it weird?” 

“They’re free thinking and consenting people, they’re not like a full blooded animal, they’re like us. Niall and I have talked about this, he knows and understands that we’re in a relationship. It might not be like what Liam has with Jade, or what you had Taylor, but every relationship is different. I didn’t force this on Niall, we do things when he wants, and when he’s ready for them.” 

Harry nods his head, he understands what Zayn is telling him, he really does, but he can’t help but feel like there is still something weird about what he wants, like he shouldn’t want to be with Louis in the way he does. “How can you be with someone that doesn’t talk?” Harry asks. “I just don’t understand how this is supposed to work.” He casts his eyes downward at his admittance of what his keeping from being able to act out anything with Louis. 

“It’s easy,” Zayn says slowly, waiting for Harry to look back up at him before he elaborates. “I don’t go about this thinking that Niall is my boyfriend or that this is a normal relationship because it’s not. He rarely talks and when he does it’s broken English like he’s still a child and he’s dependent on me to live his life. He sleeps for most of the day, and then, of course, there is the obvious tail and ears, but I love him, far more than I’ve ever loved anyone. I don’t want to be with anyone else, and he doesn't want to be with anyone else. It just works.”

“How?”

“Harry, don’t over think it. If Louis wasn’t a hybrid and he didn’t choose silence more than most people, because he can talk, but I know you’re referring to Niall when you bring that up, but if Louis was exactly like you and I would you be thinking like this? No, you wouldn’t have any concerns; you’d let yourself love him without reservations. Why is this any different? Just take it slow, one day at a time, yeah?”

Harry nods his head, letting Zayn’s words filtering through his mind as he tries to process them. He thinks about it, and remembers the fond looks that Zayn reserves just for Niall, the soft smiles and the way everything about him just softens when he’s around Niall, the hard lines that used to show themselves on Zayn’s face disappearing when the hybrid came into his life. He feels eternally grateful that Zayn has begun to trust him enough to share the part of his life that he holds dearest to him, the part with Niall. 

Three years of knowing the other male and he had never known that Zayn was harboring any kind of feelings for anyone let alone a hybrid that he loved more than life itself. He doesn’t have to say it but Harry can tell when he watches the way Zayn and Niall work together. 

Zayn taps the table once before he stands up and makes his way into the living room; Harry follows him, head down until he bumps into Zayn’s back. He frowns, glances up and sees Zayn holding a finger over his lips telling Harry to keep quiet and points over towards the couch. Harry follows where he’s pointing and sees Niall and Louis asleep on the couch, Louis clutching his tail to his chest like it were a stuffed animal. 

He looks at Louis and thinks about Zayn’s words to take it slow. 

One day at a time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next part, which might be the last or the second to last, not sure yet, depends on how writing goes, is going to be a long one. So please remain patient with me while I write it. I'm aiming to have it be about 5k words, possibly 6k. The last two parts were supposed to be one long chapter, but readers asked me to split it up into shorter ones. I don't really want to do that with the next bit, so please give me a teensy bit more time to get out the longer update. 
> 
> Hope you guys liked this addition to the story, and thank you for all the feedback so far! I look forward to hearing your thoughts this time around.


	5. Chapter 5

It’s a weird realization that Harry might be in love with an animal. Well, not an animal but a cat, and not even really a cat but a weird combination of cat and human. It was a hard enough fact to accept that he was gay, even harder on his parents, but developing feelings for a hybrid is something else entirely. And the worst part is that Harry’s not sure how Louis feels about him. 

They sleep together, curled around each other with Louis purring into his ear. They watch television together, Louis wrapped around him and sitting in his lap. They cook meals together, play games together, take baths together, but Harry still doesn’t know how Louis could possibly feel about him. 

And he’s not stupid, he knows that Louis likes him and relies on him, but he doesn’t know if that liking goes beyond something of gratitude or friendship. The only clues that Harry has, which he refuses to believe are anything at all, are the tiny kisses Louis presses to Harry’s neck when he thinks Harry has drifted off to sleep at night. But he thinks that’s just Louis, thinks he’s being an affectionate little kitten and nothing more. 

So Harry takes Zayn’s advice to take it slow. He’s going to work hard to make sure that Louis figures out how Harry feels about him. 

~~~~~ 

Harry waits until Zayn leaves before he tells Louis to get dressed and that they’re going out. 

Louis looks at Harry in confusion for a moment before he makes his way towards their bedroom and begins getting ready. Harry takes the opportunity to call Nick and beg him to get him a table at the French restaurant a couple blocks away that you have to know someone who knows someone who knows someone in order to just get a reservations, and luckily, Nick knows enough people to get them a table. 

When they make it to the restaurant, Louis wearing dark denim jeans with a hole for his tail, a black blazer with a distressed band tee underneath while Harry wears black pants with his favorite navy button up with the hearts all over it – he thinks nothing says ‘I might be in love with you, so please love me back, quite like this shirt – but walking since, Harry thinks he could faint. He’s better at hiding how surprised he is with how nice the restaurant is better than Louis, who has his mouth dropped open as Harry tells the maitre d’ his name. As they make their way back towards the table Harry keeps his hand on the small of Louis’ back; he can feel the nerves roll off of Louis as he clutches his tail in his hand, staring wide eyed at the scenery. Harry glances around as they walk, makes a note of the dimmed lighting from tiny twin candles on the table housed inside of fake lamps, or the tiny lights on the wall that look exactly like the candles. The walls are golden in color, rich mahogany wood on the bottom panel and along the top trip. There are small bouquets of flowers on every table, bigger ones along the back of the velvet red booths. He’s never been in a place where the tables have real flowers, and the table cloth is actually made of cloth and the plates set out appear like they’d cost him a years worth of rent. 

They reach their table, a tiny squared one in the middle of the room and Harry makes sure to hold out Louis’ chair, helping him slide it in once he’s seated. Taking the seat across from Louis, Harry opens the menu, tries not to panic at the fact that there aren’t any prices listed. 

“Harry,” Louis whispers across the table, “why are we here?” 

“I wanted to take you out,” Harry says carefully, rubbing his thumb against the soft-papered menu, “on a date.” 

Louis looks at him for a moment, blue eyes wide before his gaze drops down to the menu. 

Their food comes quickly, Harry having the lamb and Louis some kind of fish that Harry is pretty sure they made up, and Harry struggles with what to say. He’s never had a problem finding something to talk to Louis about before, but now…now he realizes that he’d like to take this to the next level, whatever that level may be, and he’s not sure what Louis’ thoughts are on all of this, but he knows… He knows that if Louis doesn’t want what he wants, then he’ll step back, he’ll stop trying to force it to happen, but if Louis wants what he wants, well… he should probably pull his head out of his ass and at least make simple conversation. 

Louis is looking around the restaurant, his ears folded back as he realizes that the two of them are being stared at. Harry’s not sure if they’re staring because this is a nice place and hybrid aren’t usually brought out to places like this, not by people who generally can’t afford it, like Harry, or if they’re staring because they’re two men that are clearly out on a date. Because it’s one thing to bring a hybrid into a fancy restaurant but it’s a completely different thing to bring be gay in a place like this. 

Harry couldn’t give a shit what anyone in this place thinks of them, but he can tell that Louis does, judging by the way he’s staring down at his food, pushing his fork through his food like he’s embarrassed and he’s buying time until Harry will take him home. 

“You don’t have to be uncomfortable,” Harry says, taking a bite of his own food. 

Louis’ eyes dart up at him, his head tilts to the side a little. “Why?” 

“These people are snobs. You shouldn’t be worried about what any of them are thinking, or why they’re looking at you. You’re here to eat food and enjoy yourself, just like they are, and you shouldn’t feel uncomfortable doing that,” Harry says. “And because you’re with me,” he adds, shrugging his shoulders. 

“They don’t look like me,” Louis says, looking out of the corner of his eye at an old man not so subtlety watching them. 

“They don’t look like me either,” Harry says, glancing around and noticing the amount of older people inside of the restaurant, anyone close to their age is working, so Harry doesn’t consider that much of anything. 

“No,” Louis says firmly, shaking his head at Harry. “Look at my ears, my tail. They don’t look like me.”

Harry looks at Louis, notes the flecks of sadness in his eyes, the slump of his shoulders as he looks back at Harry. Harry can’t help but feel a bout of his own sadness, because Louis is mistaken if he thinks that being like these people is anything to aspire too. They’re sad and pathetic and old and miserable and lonely, oh so fucking lonely, and Harry doesn’t have to study them to see what’s behind their eyes. But he can see what’s behind Louis’ eyes; the nerves, the fear and it’s not from the people in the restaurant, it’s something deeper. Something that makes Harry wonder if Louis is scared because he’s worried that Harry is comparing him to these other people, so Harry says the only thing he can think to say, the only thing that he thinks might give Louis a clue into his feelings and make him feel better. 

He says, “They don’t look like you because they’re not beautiful, they’re not you and they never will, but that’s only a bad thing for them not you.” 

Louis looks at Harry for a moment, his cheeks flushing red as he pulls his tail against his chest, smiling softly before he goes back to eating. 

~~~~~

Harry brings Louis homes after dinner, figures Louis has had enough with the stares for one night. He’s changing into his pajamas while Louis brushes his teeth, pulling a light grey shirt over his chest and watching Louis through the open bathroom door. He’s wearing plaid bottoms and a dark green sweatshirt, it’s too long for him, the sleeves draping over his hands when he drops his arms to the side and smiles into the mirror, checking to making sure his teeth are cleaned enough before he shuts the water off. Louis stills when he sees that Harry has been watching him, freezing in place and staring back at him curiously. Harry smiles softly at him before turning around and pulling the blanket down on the bed, he’s fluffing the pillow on his side of the bed when the light flicks off, shortly followed by Louis crawling into bed. 

Harry joins him, getting in wordlessly and allowing Louis too curl against him, throwing his leg over Harry’s waist, wrapping his tail around Harry’s leg, and resting his hand over Harry’s heart. 

Harry trails his hand up and down the expanse of Louis’ back, fingers brushing against Louis’ cotton covered spin as they lie in the darkened bedroom, the only lights coming from the street lamps along the road, casting an orange glow in the room. Harry’s chest is vibrating from the low rumble of Louis’ purrs, his skin prickling up when Louis rubs his face against Harry’s chest, his ears tickling Harry’s chin when he does it. 

It’s not different from any other night, except that the air feels heavy around them, like there are unspoken words drifting around, trying not to suffocate them. He doesn’t know if it’s the date or his newfound discovery, and acceptance, of his feelings. He doesn’t know if it’s from the way Louis looked at him after he called him beautiful, or that Harry doesn’t know how to act around him anymore, whatever it is he hopes that it’ll be gone soon, he’s not sure he could handle living in a world where things are awkward with Louis. 

Louis shifts a bit, moving around restlessly for a couple seconds before he sighs, puffs of air spilling out of his mouth and spreading across Harry’s chest. Harry squeezes his side gently, silently letting him know that’s all right, whatever it is, because he knows that Louis can feel the thick clouds floating above them. 

“I used to have a home,” Louis whispers into the darkness, like he’s talking to the night instead of to Harry. “He was my mother’s owner, an older man with grey hair and a bald spot on the crown of his head. He was rich, kept all of us fed and happy, until my mom died. I can’t really remember it, I was eleven and one day I came inside from playing and he was angry and crying, telling me to leave the room. I watched them carry her out of the house through the window in my bedroom. Charles was really sad after that. I think they were in love.”

It’s the most Harry has ever heard Louis says, so he keeps quiet, moves his fingers along Louis’ spine to let him know that he’s still awake, he’s still listening. 

“One day, I went to his sister’s house, he sent me away and I lived there for a while, but I didn’t understand, and his sister was mean, always making me hide my ears and tail and telling me I was wrong, so I ran away and went back to his house. It took me a long time to find it, but when I got there he was gone. The family chased me away, slapping me with different things until I was gone. I thought he abandoned me, so I just…wandered. I’ve been by myself for a long time. I’ve been alone. I used to sleep in the cemetery, it’s the only place where people don’t go at night, so I could curl up in the grass and everything was okay. That’s where my found my mom and Charles, too. I found them there and that’s when I left. That’s why you found me in the alley. They left me and I was lonely, so I went to try and find someone who wouldn’t leave me.”

“Is that why you get scared when I leave?” Harry asks, his quiet as he stares up at the ceiling. “You think I’m going to leave you like mom and Charles did?” 

“Humans always leave hybrids,” Louis whispers back. “You forget about us when you take trips, you send us away because you’re old and sad and lonely. You hurt us. Niall has scars, too, but he doesn’t think Zayn will leave him. Humans always leave if you’re not careful, if you’re not with them to remind them why they can’t leave.” 

“That’s not true,” Harry replies. “Zayn has Niall because he doesn’t want anyone to hurt him. I leave for work but that doesn’t mean I’m never coming back; it means I’ll always come back. This is my home, this apartment, with you and Liam. Your mom didn’t want to leave you, but she died. She died and Charles, his heart was broken and he didn’t want you to have to go through the pain of losing him, so he sent you away, thinking it was for the best, and then he did, too.” 

Louis shakes his head and sits up slowly, leaning his body weight against one hand, and stares down at Harry. “You don’t know what it’s like.” 

“People don’t understand hybrids, they don’t. And you’re right, I’ll never understand, but you have nothing to worry about here, nothing. I’m some old man that is close to dying, I’m not going anywhere.” 

“You don’t know that,” Louis says. “You’re too nice to me, taking me out to dinner and always taking care of me. I’ve made things difficult for you. Liam is never home because I’m here, you can’t go out anymore, I attacked your friend, Nick, even though he deserved it.” 

“Liam was never home to begin with, he’s always over at Jade’s place. I never went out before, I went to the coffee shop to home and back. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less, and Nick…he’s used to being attacked, honestly. You’re not a burden, or whatever you think you are. Where is this even coming from?” 

Louis shrugs his shoulders, flicks his tail lightly against Harry’s thigh. 

“Is this because everyone was looking at you tonight?” Harry asks, placing a gentle hold on Louis’ forearm. Louis stares down at the grip Harry has on his body, his ears folding back slightly as he studies the way Harry is holding onto him. “Talk to me,” Harry whispers, brushing his thumb against Louis’ skin. 

“I don’t belong, that’s why they were staring,” Louis says quietly, still looking down at Harry’s hand. “I’m different, so they think I don’t belong with them, but I’m just like you, just like them. We’re different, us hybrids, that’s why everyone leaves us.”

“Louis, I’m not going anywhere. I told you before that this is my home. I wouldn’t abandon you just because you’re a hybrid. You can’t let people looking at you bother you, people stare because they have nothing better to do, their lives are so sad that instead of enjoying a meal with their loved ones, they’re looking at a hybrid, it’s bullshit, but you’re not going anywhere. And neither am I.” 

Louis looks at Harry sadly, shaking his head as he curls his tail around Harry’s leg, his grip tight. “Sometimes things change,” Louis says. 

“Louis, I’m not going anywhere,” Harry says desperately, because no matter what he says Louis doesn’t believe him, he can see it written clearly in his eyes. He doesn’t believe Harry, and Harry doesn’t understand why. He’s never shown any signs that he wanted to leave, never showed signs that he didn’t want Louis around. He wonders what about the restaurant made Louis think that Harry was going to leave, if it was a place he’s been before with his mother and Charles, or if there was a man there that reminded of Charles. Harry can’t be certain, but whatever it is has Louis looking down at him with desperation in his eyes, like he wants to believe Harry but he’s not sure that he can. 

“How do you know that? How can you say for sure?” 

“Louis, I’m not going anywhere, okay? Because I…” Harry swallows thickly, squeezes a little tighter on Louis’ wrist as he looks at him, trying to gain the courage to say it, to tell Louis how he feels, because even though he wanted to wait for something grand, a great moment where they could build up to Harry saying it, but he thinks Louis needs to hear it right now, in this moment, so he takes a deep breath and says, “I’m not going anywhere because I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ^_^ Hi. I have no sense of time, so I didn't realize that my rewriting this chapter about 5 different times actually took me a month. This was supposed to be super long, but I've chopped it in half so you get two updates, because I felt bad. I'm still finishing up the next bit, but it's nearly there, so by next weekend it'll be out and it'll be about 4k. Sorry for the wait.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry feels Louis still in his arms, his purring ceasing, and his tail no longer flicking against his leg now that Harry has spoken. He doesn’t say anything, Harry that is, he just lies there and hopes and prays that Louis will say something first. He doesn’t expect him to say it back, not yet at least, but he didn’t expect Louis to turn to stone and turn his face away from Harry. It’s too dark to see him anyway, the street lamps outside only illuminating the room so much. He wants to repeat himself, wants to say the words over and over again until Louis understands what just happened. He also wants to make it clear that he didn’t say this because Louis told the story about his past. Harry wants Louis to know that he said this because he actually feels this way, with or without the damaged past on Louis’ end. 

He’s beginning to feel hopeless, like he shouldn’t have said anything, should waited like he originally wanted to for the right moment where he could go through with large gestures and make it so Louis knew that he was being serious. 

Harry can feel the onsets of rejection seeping through him, the heavy weight on his chest, the formations of knots in his stomach and tears in his eyes. He releases a deep shaky breath when Louis finally speaks. 

“Can I take a bath?”

Harry feels Louis twisting his head up, glancing at Harry no doubt as he waits for an answer. 

“Um, I guess,” Harry croaks. He clears his throat and sits up a little further, Louis’ head slowly lifting off his chest. “It’s kind of late, are you sure?” 

Harry sees Louis nod his head, so he carefully crawls out of bed, dragging himself to the bathroom. He flicks on the light, flinching that the transition from dark to harsh light, and goes to sit down on the edge of the tub to turn the water on. He goes through the motions, checking to make sure the water isn’t too warm and adding a lavender scented bubbles to help Louis if he’s not feeling tired enough for sleep. He doesn’t think about the fact that he just confessed his love for Louis and the boy ignored him, choosing to ask for a bath instead of saying how he felt. He focuses on water, watching as it slowly fills the stark white tub, bubbles forming around the edges. 

When it’s finished he shuts the water off and glances up to see a naked Louis standing in the doorway, hands held against his stomach as he waits for Harry to move out of the way so he can step inside. Harry keeps his eyes averted to the floor as Louis gets in the tub and waits until he knows Louis is fully covered before he glances up and sits down on the floor next to the bath. 

Several painstaking minutes pass, Louis is sitting in the tub silently, dragging his fingers along the surface of the water, his tail flicking underneath and causing gently waves. Harry can’t stand the sound of it, the heavy weighted silence that’s between them and with a deep sigh he breaks it, hoping that Louis won’t shoot him down again. 

“Can we talk about what just happened?” He asks, looking at Louis. Louis’ ears fold back a little but he doesn’t bother looking at Harry, just stares at the bath water. 

“All right, I’ll talk,” Harry says, releasing a deep breath. “I meant it, what I said about loving you. I do love you and it’s weird because at first I didn’t think it was possible, but you proved me wrong. It’s scary loving you because I’m not sure what you’re thinking or how you’re feeling but it’s okay because I know you’ll tell me when the time is right, like you did tonight with talking about your past. And thinking about it, you might be nervous. You’re probably thinking that I’m going to leave like everyone else, because that’s what life taught you, right? But you’re wrong. You came into my life, not the other way around, so if anything it’ll be you leaving. 

“I don’t want you to leave, so I want you to know that if my loving you is problem, then could you tell me? I’d really appreciate it because I don’t want to make you comfortable and I’m sorry if I did. I wanted to work harder to make you understand that I’m telling the truth but you seem scared, so I just want to say that you have no reason to be afraid of me or my feelings or maybe your feelings. If you don’t want me to love you, then you have to tell me, and right now would be nice, because I think I might throw up any second now, so if you could let me down now that would be great,” Harry says, breathing deeply as he looks at Louis for a moment before casting his eyes down. 

Louis is silent for several seconds, the hybrid not doing anything other than breathing for a bit. Harry sucks in a deep breath, trying to his expression neutral as his stomach churns in anticipation. He thinks he could probably pass this off as a joke or a dream. He thinks it could work; acting like he has no idea what Louis is talking about if he brings it up. It’ll be hard but he can do it and then he can go back to his original plan of making things spectacular and grand for Louis when he tells him he loves him again. 

He’s ready to admit defeat when he hears the water in the tub move, splashing against the sides before he feels a pair of lips on his cheek. He turns his head to look at Louis, his expression stunned. Louis smiles at him shyly, his ears slightly folded down and his skin-tinted pink. 

“What was that for?” Harry asks. 

“Louis loves you, too,” Louis says, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s not a problem that you love me.”

Harry smiles and leans forward, pressing his mouth against Louis’; a radiating warmth spreads throughout his chest as he kisses him, feeling as the knot in his stomach disappears completely and turns into a fluttering sensation. 

~~~~~

Harry wakes up the following morning before Louis, the sleeping hybrid lying across his chest, soft snores drifting out of his mouth as Harry carefully makes to get out of bed. He covers Louis with the blanket before he leaves the room, closing the door behind him and making his way to the kitchen. He finds Liam in the room, his back to Harry as he spreads cream cheese across a bagel. Harry slides in behind him and grabs the half already prepared and pops it in his mouth. 

“Help yourself,” Liam says, setting down the next piece and sliding it across the counter towards Harry. 

Harry nods his head in silent thanks and continues eating. “Thanks,” Harry says, swallowing the bite and accepting the glass of orange juice that Liam hands him. 

“So what happened last night? I came home about four and heard you starting a bath. Couldn’t sleep? Or, did you and Louis decide to have a little fun?” Liam asks, waggling his bushy eyebrows as he prepares his own bagel. 

Harry makes a face and shakes his head. “No, nothing like that. We were talking and Louis decided he wanted a bath, so I sat in the bathroom with him while he took one. I guess he couldn’t sleep,” Harry lies, not wanting to tell Liam the details of what happened when he and Louis the night before. 

“You know, I was thinking, he’s part cat so shouldn’t he hate water?”

“He does, but only the kind that pelts down on you, not the kind that surrounds you and keeps you warm. A bath is like lying in a hard uncomfortable bed with water as your blanket. I think that’s why he likes it, it brings him comfort.” 

“A hard bed,” Liam repeats, shaking his head. “I guess that makes sense. But really though, was everything okay last night? How is it going for the two of you?” 

“What do you mean?”

Liam rolls his eyes, taking a bite of his breakfast. “Your little crush on him? How is it going?” Harry’s mouth drops open, staring at Liam with wide eyes. “Oh god, Harry. You couldn’t possibly think I didn’t notice, I’m your best friend. And you’re kind of obvious about it. So just tell me, how is everything?” 

“It’s going well, really, really well. I took him out to dinner, some fancy place that I’m pretty sure burned a hole in my wallet, and when we got home I kind of told him,” Harry pauses, biting his bottom lip as he looks at Liam. “Well, I kind of told him that I loved him? It sounds crazy but it made sense at the time.” 

“And how did Louis take it?”

“At first I think he was scared. I’m not sure he knew how to handle it, so he didn’t really say anything just lied there and then asked if he could have a bath. I sort of ranted a bit before he said it back. Then we made out for a bit.”

“In the bath? The two of you were in the tub together?”

“Yeah,” Harry admits, his cheeks heating up as he smiles at Liam. 

“I don’t.” Liam shakes his head. “No, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to know.” 

“Then I won’t tell.”

“That was more than enough of a visual, thanks.” Liam shakes his head again, like he’s trying to get the image out of his mind, his features scrunching up slightly. “Ew, gross. Anyway, so I assume you two are good then?” 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re really good,” Harry says, smiling softly. Liam looks at him, his expression calculating as he nods his head slowly. “What are you thinking about?” Harry asks, tilting his head to the side as he finishes his bagel. 

“Just wondering if you’re sure that this is what you want, if you’ve thought about, or if you just dove into it.” 

“I’m sure about this,” Harry says firmly and confidently. “It’s what I want and I think it’s what he needs and if and when he’s not comfortable with it, then I’ll figure out what to do, but right now we’re both okay.” 

Liam nods his head, smiling at Harry before he finishes off his own breakfast and leaves the room. Harry stares at his empty seat for a moment, the butterflies in his stomach from the night before still there, and he knows that he’s doing the right thing. 

He sits at the table for a beat longer before he makes Louis a breakfast and goes to wake him up. 

~~~~~  
When Liam tells him that he’s moving out Harry’s not sure how to deal with it. 

They’ve been living together for years, since they graduated high school and went off to college, telling their parents that they’d be fine. They were, they are, but before that Liam lived just a few streets away, always within reach if Harry needed him. But now… Now Liam is fucking up their system by moving into his own apartment with his girlfriend. 

And yeah, Harry’s a little bit sad about it, even if he can’t wait to be alone with Louis.

“You’re leaving me,” Harry says slowly, glancing up to look at Liam. He sees the way Liam’s eyes are widened a little bit, how he’s looking at Harry like he’s nervous, like he doesn’t want to disappoint him. 

He thinks he’s handling it better than Louis, who yelled at Liam before stomping down the hallway and locking himself inside of their bedroom. Harry had merely shrugged his shoulders when Liam looked at him frowning, because the truth is, Harry wanted to shove Liam around a little when he heard the news. He thought it might knock some sense into Liam, but it’s what he wants, and Harry’s not going to stand in the way of Liam being happy, especially when Liam took the news about Harry falling in love with a hybrid so well.

“We have plans tomorrow,” Liam says, setting down the last box on the ground so he can look at Harry. There is sheen of sweat across his forehead and Harry wants to be childish and tell him to leave before his sweat drips on the carpet, but he bites his tongue and shrugs his shoulders. 

“It’s not the same.” 

“I’m never home anyway,” Liam says. “Leigh-Anne just moved out, so Jade and I talked about it, and it’s what we both want. And who knows, it might not work out. And then you’ll be stuck with me again.”

“If your room isn’t being rented out,” Harry says, pretending to inspect dirt underneath his fingernails. 

“Oh shut up,” Liam says, stepping forward to push at Harry’s shoulder. “I don’t think you’re going to charge Louis rent anytime soon, and I don’t think you really want him sleeping in another room, so I know my bed will always be here.” 

“Louis is probably in there figuring out how he’s going to destroy what’s left of your room.”

Liam shrugs his shoulders. “All the important stuff is down in Jade’s car. It’s only empty dressers and a bed stripped down to the mattress.”

“Well, he’ll probably pee on the bed.”

Liam laughs, his eyes crinkling up to nothing as he does it. “Of course he will. But you’ll be here to distract him, won’t you?” 

“I might,” Harry says, trying to feign indifference before he wrinkles his nose up in disgust. “I hope he wouldn’t do that. He’ll probably break a drawer or beat the mattress with his tail, or something.” 

“It’s kind of weird talking about someone having a tail, isn’t it?”

“A little bit, but you get used to it, it’s not much of a problem unless he wraps it around your leg when you’re trying to get out of bed and your end up falling on the floor on your face, which I’ve only done three times, so it’s not enough to be embarrassed.”

“You’re right, maybe I shouldn’t leave the two of you alone. I’ll go tell Jade to bring my stuff back up,” Liam says, pretending he’s going to head outside. 

“We’ll be fine,” Harry cries, rolling his eyes at his best friend’s antics. Honestly he’s annoying and Harry should be happy that he’s moving out, and he would be if it weren’t for twist in his gut that’s telling him he’s going to miss Liam more than he could ever imagine. 

“I know you will be,” Liam says, the smile fading from his face. 

“What do you mean?”

“You’re good for each other, you know?” Liam says slowly. “You need someone that will let you take care of them, you’re always trying to take care of people, and Louis…he needs to be taken care of. He needs someone that won’t give up on him, and will be there for him that he can trust. You’ll be good for each other.” 

Harry stares at his best friend, admiring his thoughtful logic on the situation and his ability to not judge Harry for who he fell in love with. He smiles at him gratefully, taking a step forward to pull Liam into a hug, holding onto him tightly. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow,” Liam says, pulling away. He winks at Harry, one eye squinting shut before the other one follows, and then he walks out of the door. 

Harry stares at it for a moment, taking a deep breath before he makes his way towards his bedroom. The door is locked; he rattles his doorknob anyway, like if he shakes it enough it’ll be fixed. 

“Louis, open the door,” Harry calls, his forehead resting against the wood as he continues to rattle the handle. 

Harry waits; listening through the door to the sound of labored breathing and angry muttering, quiet growls. He sighs, reaching up and getting the key from the top of the door frame and unlocks it, pushing the door open he sees Louis whip around and stare at him, his eyes narrowed and ears folded back. 

“What’s wrong?” Harry asks patiently, watching, as Louis huffs, rolling his eyes at Harry, like the answer should be obvious and he shouldn’t be asking. And Harry knows what’s wrong, Louis’ deep rooted fear of abandonment taking over, but he wants Louis to talk about it, wants to hear what’s going on in his head. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Hate Liam,” Louis shouts, throwing a pillow on the ground. “He left and I hate him.” His chest is rising and falling rapidly as he glares at Harry, anger written across his face. “Hate.”

Harry shakes his head, stepping closer to Louis. “You shouldn’t hate Liam.”

“I should,” Louis says, turning his nose up and folding his arms across his chest. 

“No, you shouldn’t. Louis, sometimes people leave. It’s the way life works. Sometimes they leave because of death, or because they’re no longer meant to be in your life, even if they’re still living. Sometimes people want to take the next step with their girlfriend, so they pack up their bags and relocate, but it doesn’t mean that they’re gone forever. It just means you won’t see them as much as you used to.” 

Louis looks at him, studying him carefully. He still looks angry, his posture still defensive but he looks like he’s thinking, like he’s trying to understand what Harry is telling him, because in Louis’ experience, none of these things are true. You’re either there or you’re never coming back, he doesn’t understand the grey areas of it all. 

“We have plans to see Liam tomorrow, we can call him and ask to him any day of the week if you’re worried about not seeing him again, I promise. Do you want to call him?”

“No,” Louis answers, shaking his head. 

“Well, if you change your mind let me know, okay? I know that it’s scary for you, but he’s still going to be around. Plus, like I said, we’ll see him tomorrow. I’ll make him buy you dinner, does that sound good?” 

Louis shrugs his shoulders but the corners of his mouth are turning up slightly and that’s how Harry knows that he won, how he knows that Louis is slowly beginning to believe him. 

“Come on, let’s go watch a movie,” Harry says, reaching out and taking Louis’ hand. Louis squeezes his hand gently as they walk towards the living room, down the hall where they break apart, Louis dropping down on the couch while Harry gets the movie ready. 

When he finishes he sits down next to Louis, letting him curl against his side as he wraps an arm around Louis’ shoulders, pulling him closer. 

Forty minutes into the movie he hears Louis sigh before he shifts around. “Love you, Harry,” Louis murmurs, nuzzling his face into Harry’s neck and sighing deeply. 

“Yeah,” Harry says, curling his hand around Louis’ tail. 

“I didn’t want to,” Louis admits quietly. “I thought you’d leave.”

Harry sighs and grabs the remote on Louis’ lap, pressing mute and turning to look at Louis. “I’m not going anywhere. I have no intentions of leaving and as long as you want me around, then… Well, I’ll be here.” Harry shrugs his shoulders and turns to look back at the TV. His tongue feels a little heavy, throat a little tight as he waits to see what Louis is going to say to him. He feels like this it, the moment where their relationship is going to shift and turn into something. 

“Why?” Louis asks, pulling his face out of Harry’s neck to look at him. 

Harry doesn’t make eye contact, continues to stare at the muted television screen. “You feel like home.” He turns to look at Louis, sees that he’s studying Harry carefully, his expression neutral as he settles back against Harry’s side, kissing his shoulder, and Harry knows that it means he understand what Harry is saying, and that he doesn’t need to respond because the hand over his beating heart tells him everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, the end of Louis and Harry's journey! I hope you all enjoyed this. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me, despite my persistently slow updates on on it. I had fun writing this, it was nice to take a dive into something I've never done before. 
> 
> Once again, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I'll be posting a new hybrid fic, a Lilo one, over the weekend.
> 
> Here's my [tumblr](http://www.alnimawrites.tumblr.com) if you want to yell at me about this or anything :).


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